Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV – An ultra-luxurious electric SUV that’s coming to South Africa

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed to TopAuto that the recently-unveiled EQS SUV will go on sale in South Africa in the third quarter of 2023.

The EQS SUV is the pinnacle of the automaker’s EQ line-up of electric vehicles (EV), in other words, the S-Class of luxury electric SUVs.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa has listed the vehicle on its website, alluding to the fact that the EQS SUV 450 4Matic will be making it to local showrooms.

Redefining luxury

Mercedes-Benz markets its new EQS SUV as “redefined SUV luxury” – and from what we know this manufacturer is capable of, the EQS SUV should be mighty impressive.

The electric SUV shares the same underpinnings as its electric sedan counterpart, the EQS, with its exterior dimensions measuring 5,125mm in length, 1,959mm in width, and 1,718mm in height – making it over 20cm higher than the sedan.

As such, the interior of the SUV benefits heavily from the enlarged passenger cell, offering a five-seater cabin with front and rear electric seats as standard, along with space for “up to four golf bags” in the boot.

“A third row of seats with two additional individual seats and extensive comfort features for all passengers is available as an option,” said Mercedes-Benz.

In terms of equipment, the EV treats its occupants to only the best Mercedes has to offer, with the highlight of the cabin being the MBUX Hyperscreen.

With over 141cm of digital real estate from one side to the other, the Hyperscreen consists of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch media screen, and a 12.3-inch front passenger display under one housing.

A host of advanced driver assistant features will also be installed, including active distance assist, active blind-spot assist with exit warning functions, active lane-keep assist, active steering assist, evasive steering assist, and brake assist with cross-traffic monitoring.

Over-the-air software updates will then allow current and future owners to add and remove software-enabled functions to their EQS SUV as they please.

The many options comprise trailer manoeuvring assist, traffic sign assist, augmented reality navigation, energizing comfort and energizing coast, increased rear-axle steering angles, beginner’s driving mode, parking service mode, a dashcam, the AMG Track Pack, and the individualisation package.

Electric performance

The EQS SUV is equipped with a 107.8kWh lithium-ion battery feeding current to an all-electric drivetrain that generates between 265-400kW and offers 536-660km of driving range at an electricity consumption rating of 18.6-23.0kWh/100km.

The battery meets stringent safety, durability, and sustainability requirements, guaranteeing 10 years or 250,000km of use with a remaining capacity of 70%, said Mercedes-Benz.

The model coming to South Africa also employs the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, meaning there’s one electric motor strapped to each axle.

However, being a 4Matic not only means it drives all four wheels at the same time, but also that it receives Torque Shift functions that continuously distribute power to the wheels that need it most.

The torque distribution system offers five different modes to account for a wide variety of driving scenarios, namely off-road, snow and ice, energy efficiency, energy recovery power, and traction/acceleration.

The standard-fit adaptive air-suspension system is reworked for the EQS SUV, too, keeping the ground clearance consistent regardless of the vehicle load and allowing the adjustment of ride height by up to 25mm to improve adaptability.

“The body can be raised by 25mm at the touch of a button below 60km/h, above 70km/h it is automatically lowered back to normal level,” said the manufacturer.

“Furthermore, in the Comfort and Sport modes, the body is automatically lowered by 10mm and 15mm, respectively, at speeds above 110km/h to reduce drag and increase driving stability. If the vehicle drops below 80 km/h, the body level returns to the initial position.”

When it comes to charging the luxurious new EV, it continues to “redefine” what is currently possible by coming with three intelligent charging functions:

• ECO Charging – Programmed for battery preservation by limiting charge to 80%
• Charging interruptions – Allows owners to specify certain time periods where AC charging is paused, possibly also leading to lower electricity costs
• Bidirectional charging – Vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home charging, currently limited to Japan market only due to the country’s progressive charging standards

On a 200kW fast-charger, owners can expect around 250km of range to be added with every 15 minutes, whereas the actual charging times will depend on the “current vehicle parameters, the available infrastructure, and the country-specific vehicle equipment,” said Mercedes.

Mercedes-EQ EQS SUV